Arguing Didn't Work

“Maybe you need to think about your motives!" Donna's friend said when she said her attempts to talk to her husband about salvation were ending in disaster. Donna had a nagging feeling that her words held an uncomfortable amount of truth. Her friend's parting comment was, "Remember to pray without ceasing!"

When Donna got home, she read 1 Thessalonians 5:17 which says, "Pray continually."  Then she read it in context: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

After Donna accepted Christ, her husband supported her. He didn't complain when she attended church and listened respectfully when she discussed her walk with Christ.

But Donna began to envy couples who attended church services together. This spiritual aspect was missing from their marriage, and she resented it. She started questioning his beliefs, and pointing out, not always kindly, how much better he would handle problems if he shared her beliefs. 

"I believe in God," he would say. "Why do I have to believe that Christianity is the only way to worship Him?"

Donna argued and complained. Then she read those verses that reminded her that God's will is for her to be joyful. Nagging, complaining, and resentment definitely did not express joy. Her inept attempt to bring him to salvation was taking the joy from their marriage. 

She said, "I have found it's much more effective to be a loving wife, share insightful messages, ask him to pray for someone, and share praises. Expressing the joy of God's love to my husband has ended my resentment and has reopened our paths of communication. I now see that the desperation with which I had prayed was as much for the fulfillment of my needs as it was for his salvation. 

Thank You, Lord, that responsibility to save others is ultimately in Your hands. 

"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives" (1 Peter 3:1-2).